Category: Public Affairs

Interview with Dr. Ruth Westheimer

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This year, the Poitras Gleim Lecture guest was Dr. Ruth Westheimer. The lecture honors people who’ve made significant cultural contributions to media and popular culture, and this year Dickinson was pleased to have Dr. Ruth. She’s best known for being the sex therapist on American broadcast media, alongside many other things such as being a Holocaust survivor, Israeli military member and more.

Our interview with her discussed a lot about her general career, and her own reflections of life at age 92! WDCV can proudly say Dr. Ruth gave us glowing reviews for our interview and she enjoyed it very much, which we take as high praise since she’s done radio far longer than our station members.

CREDITS:
Interviewers: Rosey Pasco & Nuhan B. Abid

Technical assistance & help: Brenda Landis, Taylor Garrett

Sidney Gish Concert Review

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Last Saturday, Sidney Gish engaged a large crowd of Dickinsonians and Carlisle residents. With a set list written on her forearm, Gish played many of her most popular songs, with audience members dancing and singing along with her. Songs such as “Persephone” and “Not But For You, Bunny” drew cheers after the first couple seconds. She riffed off her own recorded songs, such as “Sophisticated Space,” adding new jazzy twists to her typical rhythm. 

Check out a snippet of her concert below!

The crowd loved her, evidenced by her massive merch line. The concert was a huge success, and WDCV loved having Sidney on campus! 

 

WDCV’s next concert will be March 1st at 5:30pm with Alice Kristiansen! Join us in the Allison Community Room!

WDCV / MOB Spring Concert Series Line-Up

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This semester, WDCV and MOB are teaming up to bring the Dickinson campus and wider Carlisle community a concert series for the books. Ranging from indie bedroom-pop to full-throttle jazzy hop-hop, the Spring Concert Series is sure to satisfy any music-lover, as well as introduce many to great new artists! The line-up is as follows.

 

2/16 : Sidney Gish

First up on February 16th and 8pm in the Allison Community Room is innovative loop-pedal utilizing Boston college student Sidney Gish. For more about her see here.

 

3/1: Alice Kristiansen

Next up, on March 1st at 5:30 is Alice Kristiansen. Kristiansen is a NYC-based aspiring pop star and songwriter. She initially started out posting covers on youtube, which she still frequently posts, but eventually began writing and recording her own tunes. Her newest single “Easy” was released in December and is filled with big EDM synths, distorted vocal samples, and house drums. My favorite song by her is “Lost In Translation”, which I suspect may be named after the Bill Murray film. Though the lyrics are often clunky and the production is boilerplate, the vocals are stunning and the melody is infectious. Expect her to release some even more memorable singles in the coming months.

 

3/22: Shaed

On March 22nd at 5:30, the electro pop trio Shaed will come to campus. Chelsea Lee is the lead singer and twins Max and Spencer Ernst produce. “Trampoline” is a bonafide hit with over 39 million streams on Spotify alone. It’s easy to hear why. The production is icy and propulsive and the vocals are impressively layered. “Melt”, the title track of their newest EP, may be even better than “Trampoline”. It reminds me of Ariana Grande’s most recent material. If you don’t know Shaed now, you’ll definitely have heard them in a few years so see them here while you can for free!

 

4/5: Hardwork Movement

On April fifth at 5:30, Hardwork Movement is coming to campus. Hardwork Movement is made up of 4 rappers backed up by a crack five piece live band. They also have TWO Dickinson alumni in the band! Whoever says a liberal arts education doesn’t pay off clearly hasn’t heard the sweet sounds of these Hard Movers (which is what I called them). These guys release a lot of music with two albums from 2017 and an EP that came out in 2018 but the song that I’ve been bumping a lot is “Praise”. It’s piano based beat reminds me a bit of “Two Weeks” by Grizzly Bear but the vocals are super cheerful. “Dance With Me” is another great song, utilizing horns and a rapid fire delivery that reminds me a bit of Ghostface Killah.

 

4/19: Danny Fisher

Danny Fisher brings his unique take on electro pop to Dickinson on April 19th at 5:30. His most recent song, “With Love Or Nothing At All” mixes layers of his own vocals with atmospheric electronics crafting what reminds me a bit of Panda Bear. There will also potentially be student performers to open this act.

 

5/3: Phony Ppl

The final concert in the WDCV/MOB Collaborative Spring Concert Series Featuring Great Free Live Music For You Lovely People (title pending) finishes up with the neo soul band Phony Ppl. “Somehow.” is a simply wonderful song mixing jazzy guitar work, indie R&B vibes, hip hop beats, and luscious strings into a sweet love song.

 

We hope to see you at our concert series!

Sidney Gish- Coming to Campus 2/16

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The amazing and talented Sidney Gish will have a concert on Dickinson’s campus, February 16th at 8pm in the Allison Community Room.

This semester, WDCV and MOB have partnered to bring a few wonderful concerts to Dickinson, so our blog will be providing articles spotlighting the artists so you can become familiar with them before they perform. First up is 21 year old singer-songwriter-producer Sidney Gish. Gish attends Northeastern University. Her latest album, No Dogs Allowed, was released on New Year’s Eve 2017 but really started to get traction this year thanks to word of mouth on Twitter, great reviews (5/5 from the Guardian, 7.7/10 on Pitchfork), and high profile shows with Mitski, Petal, and Camp Cope.

I first heard Ms. Gish’s music because of the aforementioned Pitchfork review and was immediately hooked by “Sin Triangle”. There rest of the album is just as great. Instead of merely accompanying herself on acoustic guitar as most young singer-songwriters are content to do, Gish uses samples, offbeat percussion, jazzy electric guitar playing, midi instruments, and a healthy dose of effects to add extra flavor to her songs. Her lyrics are relatable and cleverly filled with allusions and word play. “Sin Triangle” alone references Romeo and Juliet, Japan’s foreign policy, sine functions, and the Bible. “Persephone” plays with the common mispronunciation of the Greek goddess of vegetation “I’ve called Persephone by the name of purse-a-phone”.

 

 

As a live performer, Gish utilizes a looping pedal which repeats sounds so that a single performer can command a more detailed sound. I saw her open for Mitski over the summer and she was wonderful. She even wore a cowboy hat in celebration of Mitski’s classic Be The Cowboy. I am looking forward to seeing her live again and you should be too.

 

 

 

Her concert is Saturday, February 16th at 8pm in the Allison Community Room. WDCV and MOB are very excited for this performance and we hope to see you there!

 

Review by Jonah, you can tune into his show Playing It By Ear on Wednesday’s from 10-11pm 

 

Persephone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGmJ6FOiECs

Sin Triangle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EFKJbyFkgo

WDCV Live at Dusk Review

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WDCV’s plan for a live concert on the Dickinson campus finally came to fruition Saturday November 4th. Concert planners worked a majority of the semester to secure the musical acts of the night: Izzy Heltai, The Split Pistols, and The Skiffs. The Social Hall made for an exciting venue perfect for dancing to the upbeat pop rock of The Split Pistols and the wacky rock of the Skiffs. The opener of the night, Izzy, graced the audience with his alluring voice and mesmerizing acoustic guitar. A one-man band from Massachusetts, Izzy captivated the audience with his original music that centered around his unique, raw vocals and deep lyrical abilities. He ended with a new song, Anybody to Anybody, off of his upcoming new EP ‘Sweet Apathy.’ Izzy wowed the crowd with his heartwarming songs, and set the stage for the following acts. The Split Pistols, hailing from nearby Lebanon, immediately introduced themselves with their loud electricity, and pushed the audience to their feet. Playing mostly original songs, The Split Pistols turned the heads of students walking by in the HUB. The lead singer, Vaughn, repeatedly jumped off the stage to dance with the audience during solos. His ability to command an audience paired with his dancing resulted in an upbeat set that was a perfect segue into closing act, The Skiffs. Also hailing from Lebanon, The Skiffs showed their love for Ween by covering many of their songs, most notably Ocean Man. They continued to wow the crowd with their funny songs and dedicated musicians. The guitarist and singer both captivated listeners with their personalities, exemplified through guitar solos vocal range.

                                              

WDCV Live at Dusk was a success, and most audience members stayed for all three sets, leaving tired but satisfied from a night of dancing. If you’d you like to check out music from the three artists WDCV brought to campus, you can find their music below. Further, both Izzy Heltai and The Split Pistols will be releasing new music in early 2018!

 

Izzy Heltai http://www.izzyheltai.com/ and can be found on Spotify

 

The Split Pistols on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thesplitpistols/ and Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP8UGfwMsi0j_d6YLmnWFQA

 

The Skiffs on Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/theskiffspa/ciggy-song

 

If you have any questions, email Julia Ormond at ormondj@dickinson.edu 

Bluegrass on the Grass Review

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Bluegrass on the Grass, a Carlisle summer tradition, took the Dickinson College Academic Quad by storm on Saturday, July 8th. Lasting 8 hours, the festival hosted five different bluegrass bands, hailing from Tennessee to West Virginia. Families, students, and devoted bluegrass fans from Carlisle and beyond alike showed up and gave their support for a festival that has been around for more than 20 years now. Festival-goers arrived as early as 8 am to claim the best spots on the Academic Quad, in the shade of course, and camped out there throughout the whole festival, proving just how loved this festival is! Children danced along to the quick fiddles, families enjoyed the crooning of their favorite bluegrass singers, hungry listeners appreciated the local food vendors, and Bluegrass on the Grass volunteers savored the support they felt from the festival lovers.

This tradition started many years ago by the infamous Davis Tracy. A retired Dickinson Counselor and faculty advisor for WDCV FM, Davis Tracy and other local bluegrass lovers hosted bluegrass concerts on Tracy’s farm back in the 90s. They wished to expand their barnyard concerts, invite other bluegrass musicians and listeners, and create a festival out of their love for bluegrass, and in 1996 Tracy and others created a reality out of this dream. Tracy and his band took the stage on the Dickinson campus for the first time in front of about 200 people, and since then the festival has grown to nearly 4,000 attendees and a multitude of bluegrass bands who have received high regard in the bluegrass world. There is no doubt that every summer, the town of Carlisle gleefully awaits this music festival.

                                            

The bands featured this year included some familiar faces, such as the Dismembered Tennesseans, but also comprised of new sounds, most notably from Mile Twelve, a relatively new band with a young, fiery sound. An astounding fiddler, Michael Cleveland, along with his band Flamekeeper, joined the line-up this year as well, and left the crowd in pure amazement of his incredible skill and musical ear. The music lasted from noon until 8 pm, interspersed with raffle contests, in which Bluegrass on the Grass merchandise and other impressive prizes were given to upwards of one hundred winners. Dennis Gotthard, a local vinyl collector, sold a multitude of vinyl to festival-goers, and impressed the crowd with his boxes and boxes of bluegrass vinyl for the true bluegrass fans. Bluegrass on the Grass was an immense success this year, attracting new faces both on stage and in the crowd. It was a lovely day filled with great music, and no doubt the town of Carlisle excitedly looks forward to next year’s event!

                        

For more information about this event, check out http://blogs.dickinson.edu/bluegrass/

 

If you have any questions, email Julia Ormond at ormondj@dickinson.edu. Thanks for reading!

WDCV Events: March

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The month of March has a lot in store the WDCV station! Check out our upcoming events below. 

Thursday, March 3rd: Movie Night in the station lounge! We will be watching Spinal Tap at 8 pm. All student DJs are welcome to come lay on our comfy couches and eat the yummy snacks we will be providing! Hope to see you all there!

 

Saturday, March 25th: 24 Hour Live Event from 8am to 8am Sunday, March 26th! WDCV will be broadcasting live for 24 hours straight. This event will act as a community-DJ bonding experience where both student and community DJs can sign up for a one hour shift throughout the 24 hour span. Come help us get our name out in the airwaves!

Monday, March 27th: Live on Britton Plaza for the Energy Challenge kick-off! WDCV student DJs will be playing music outside from 7pm to 9pm. WDCV is proud to support the Energy Challenge across the Dickinson campus!

If you are interested in participating in any or all of these events, email wdcvfm.djaffairs@gmail.com!

 

Carlisle Uncut: Stories off the Beaten Path-Carlisle’s Dark History

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james-kyleCarlisle Uncut: Stories off the Beaten Path is a series of stories produced by first year students during the Campus Media Pre-Orientation program.  10 students arrived on a Sunday, interviewed people on Monday, edited on a Tuesday and aired their stories on WDCV by Wednesday morning.  It was a fast paced introduction to audio journalism, storytelling and learning about their new home of Carlisle through the eyes of the individuals who live here. We will post a new story every day this week until all 5 stories are told.

Carlisle’s Dark History

Carlisle might seem like a sleepy little town with lovely historic buildings lining the streets but its history tells tales of much darker times.  Local historian, journalist and author, Joseph Cress takes us on the true crime tour of Carlisle’s past. From murder in the courthouse to 3 murdered girls in the woods, from strained town-gown relations to old men fighting with canes at the square, we will take you through a history of Carlisle that may surprise you.
To learn more about Carlisle’s history please consider purchasing and reading some of Joe’s books and consult with the knowledgeable folks at the Cumberland County Historical Society.

Carlisle Uncut: Stories off the Beaten Path-Stealing the Mermaid

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saraashleyCarlisle Uncut: Stories off the Beaten Path is a series of stories produced by first year students during the Campus Media Pre-Orientation program.  10 students arrived on a Sunday, interviewed people on Monday, edited on a Tuesday and aired their stories on WDCV by Wednesday morning.  It was a fast paced introduction to audio journalism, storytelling and learning about their new home of Carlisle through the eyes of the individuals who live here. We will post a new story every day this week until all 5 stories are told.

Stealing the Mermaid

You see her everywhere. She’s on tote bags, street signs, fake tattoos, admissions flyers and other Dickinson gear but the original is sheltered inside a glass case, safe from those who want to abduct her.  Even the one perched high above campus on Old West is a fake as the real mermaid swims in the quiet waters of the library.  Even though she looks odd compared to other famous mermaids from stories there is still something that has drawn students to steal her time and time again.

Carlisle Uncut: Stories off the Beaten Path-Building Community Through the Project SHARE Farm Stand

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reneeingridCarlisle Uncut: Stories off the Beaten Path is a series of stories produced by first year students during the Campus Media Pre-Orientation program.  10 students arrived on a Sunday, interviewed people on Monday, edited on a Tuesday and aired their stories on WDCV by Wednesday morning.  It was a fast paced introduction to audio journalism, storytelling and learning about their new home of Carlisle through the eyes of the individuals who live here. We will post a new story every day this week until all 5 stories are told.

Building Community Through the Project SHARE Farm Stand

Project SHARE is a community asset not only for the people who receive food from their outreach but the whole town has benefitted from their devotion to building community.  Their volunteers are not just people who are willing to lend a hand, they are often the same people who are on the receiving end of the food distribution.  We watched as people went through the line only to drop off their food so they could come back and help unload trucks and distribute food to the next people in line.  It is this sense of sharing and community that can’t be taught in a class but expands through every simple gesture of giving back.  Ingrid and Renee spoke with both Project SHARE employees and volunteers as well as recipients of from their food distribution to learn what makes this organization and their Farm Stand, so unique and special.

http://www.projectshare.net/